The Issues and Environmental Concerns of Mining in Australia

A white paper highlighting the problems in Australia revolving around the environment and mining

INTRODUCTION 

The issues surrounding mining in Australia over the years have led to many environmental concerns. Mining in Australia has been common for centuries. This dates all the way back to the first settlers. Fast forward to the 1800’s, the gold rush put Australia's mining industry on the world map. Now in the twenty-first century, Australia is one of the world's major exporters for minerals. Over the centuries, the environmental impacts of mining have increased dramatically. The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering tells us that mining leads to risks for “ground and surface water quality, biodiversity, landscape stability, and climate change” (ATSE, 2022) making it a very relevant problem. The country's industry has a good reputation for helping the economy, but not the environment. They are risking their own land and communities in order to increase their profits. Starting with the abandonment of mine sites, this is a hole that keeps getting deeper. There are over 50,000 abandoned mine sites, some dating back decades. The modern closing standards for present day mines does not include all of the sites that are no longer in service. These abandoned sites are not up to date and this poses major risks for the environment, government, and the industry itself. Paying to rehabilitate these mines can be expensive, so the industry has swept it under the rug since the beginning. This leads to trust from the people being lost for the government and the industry.

With the silence of not rehabilitating these mines, the main threat to the land is acid and metalliferous drainage, also known as acid mine drainage, is one of the main negative impacts for the environment. The drainage contains dissolved metals and acidity.  This affects the water quality in areas around the mines and has led to a loss in biodiversity. K Bennet looked into the international mine closure in 2016. Bennet found that if the minerals from mines enter a stream “concentrations can be hundreds or thousands times higher than the levels which can kill most biodiversity” (Bennett K, 2016). Which can lead to entire ecosystems being destroyed. If the aquatic ecosystems are dying, so are the ecosystems surrounding these streams. While the biodiversity is declining, so is the air quality. Mines cause a rise in particles and dust in the air. The more mines that are dug the more pollution will result from them. While we know that these are negatively impacting the environment through our understanding of scientific knowledge,  there is a lack of data to support this decision on how to approach the damage. There are major gaps in the collected knowledge of what pollution these sites are producing and how they are affecting the environment around them. We have the facts, but we need the numbers. Environmental impact assessments rely on the collected data to see how to approach the issues. There is not enough known data that will provide researchers with an efficient way to even approach the problem. When coal mines specifically were first starting it was never required for them to be filled when they closed. While it was looked at as common sense to clean up the mess the industry has made, legally it was not required. Now looking back decades, there is an overwhelming amount of clean up to get done without the time, money, or motivation to do so. The ABS tells us that “the environmental impacts of mining, although significant, are generally confined to local areas” (Mining and the environment, 2003) making it easier for this problem to be avoided for all of these years. This 2003 article didn’t realise that a decade later this would still be a very present problem for the country. These long term impacts would not have emerged if the closing of these mines were properly addressed since day one. Since the problem only affects the specific area in which the mine is located, it was easy for the industry to not close the mines properly. But now with thousands of improper mines across the country, this problem has become well known and relevant to the public. This legal liability has led to a long and costly process for the state of Australia. The industry shows no desire in fixing the mines and at this time a practical route has yet to be discovered. The United States EPA says “old mines are forgotten, unless someone sounds the alarm” (Bennett K, 2016). After years of these mines slipping through the cracks, the sirens are slowly starting to go off. Ernst and Young is one of the biggest multinational professional service partnerships. The last EY report has added the mining sector as the top risk as of 2022. EY states that “for the first time in our annual report on the sector, mining and metals companies rank environmental and social issues as their number one risk” making this issue very well known to the public (Mitchell, 2022). These abandoned mines are a hazard for the people of Australia and the environment. People are talking and they want to see change.

A HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN MINING AND ITS CONTROVERSIES 

In 1788 coal was found in Newcastle, New South Wales. Coal was used as a source for heating and cooking and later on steam travel. The first metal discovered and mined in Australia was lead in Glen Osmond in South Australia 1841. Just after copper was founded in Kapunda and Burra and by 1850 it was recorded that exports of copper and lead in South Australia earned more than exports of wool and wheat in Australia. Cornish miners with advanced mining technology emigrated soon after to mine copper in Moonta and Kadina. The 1850’s saw the rise of the goldrush and made Australian mining colonies world known. This meant growth of population in Australia which in turn skyrocketed development within the Australian agricultural and industrial environments. 1870 Australia then became known for the discovery of tin. By the 20th century mining in Australia took a decline as there were no new discoveries of metals however there was an increase in mineral production and value. Now in the 21st century Australia is known to be one of the world’s largest exporters of minerals, with nearly 350 mines across the country. (Zhou,V , 2020) However, over this period of time there have been growing concerns in regards to the impact of Australian mining. The environment has suffered immensely over time and there is reason for concern about how mining will change the ecosystem drastically. A particular issue is acid mine drainage which occurs when tonnes of excavated rocks that contain sulphide which, mixed with water and oxygen, causes sulfuric acid. Another sustainability risk is heavy metal contamination, metals such as copper, lead and zinc hidden in rocks that leak out and contaminate the main stream's water supply. A major issue of concern is processing chemical pollution. This process involves chemical agents such as sulphuric acid and cyanide that leak and enter bodies of water, causing detrimental harm to our environment. (ABS, 2019) Erosion and sedimentation also play a role as another effect mining has on the land. It has been recorded that there are currently over 50,000 left for dead mine sites most of which are old in age and pose threat to the environment. They do not reach the quality standards of mining closure protocol and are major liabilities. With these current issues affecting the environment the Australian government faces social, safety and financial risks. (Atse, 2017).

PERSPECTIVES UNDERPINNING MINING IN AUSTRALIA

The controversial practice of mining in Australia is multifaceted, with a number of instrumental players being involved throughout its history. Mining is a process that operates in accordance with the guidance of many different priorities. Mining, on paper, should concern itself with not only the economic prowess of its owners and business associates, but also with the safety, morality, and legal guidelines of its jurisdiction. To ensure all parties are satisfied, mining companies must be open to communication, thorough in their enquiries, and effective in crisis prevention and management. Australia’s reliance on its exportation of minerals is clearly indicative of a need to please stakeholders. In 2019 alone, Australia exported $234 billion worth of minerals to foreign countries. This statistic is staggering as mining exportation accumulates to 60 percent of all exportation merchandise from Australia (Australian Government, Geoscience Australia, 2022). Australia would likely suffer economically if mining was handled more progressively, however, the importance of protecting its workers and the environment must be a priority. With 86 percent of Australia’s mining industry being foreign owned (Australian Institute of research, 2022), there is often a lack of direct concern from the corporations regarding the impacts that their mines have on Australia and its people. It is obvious that the workers in these mines are not treated to the fairest of conditions, meaning that intervention may be necessary to protect the rights and safety of said workers. Kieraen, Et, Al., (2014) found that, although 80 percent of surveyed miners believe that mining is necessary for Australian economic success, only 55 percent believed they were being treated fairly at work. The main criticisms identified included: lack of safety precautions, unfair compensation for their labour, and an over emphasis on protecting the profit of owners and corporate high-ups. Job dissatisfaction is typically associated with less production, and ultimately a reluctance for workers to do what is instructed of them (Ghazzawi, 2008). Ultimately, if the stakeholders do not operate in accordance with their workers, the mining industry could see an unprecedented decrease in workers, and therefore profit. Due to Australia’s reliance on its exportation of minerals, this could have major social effects for all Australians, who are already suffering with the chronic effects of the coronavirus (Fernandes, 2022). Australia is ill prepared to handle such a shift in society, meaning the issue must be resolved swiftly and efficiently. This highlights the importance of advocacy. All Australians, regardless of their employment should be concerned with the conditions that our miners face to protect our country’s prosperity. Big organisations must feel the impact from those who keep them running, in order to prevent a social crisis. Australia has seen the firsthand consequences of mistreating their workers, with declines in teaching, nursing, and policing throughout the country (Australian Government Institute of Health and Welfare, 2022). These issues have damaged the economic and social state of the country, prompting many agencies to make corrective actions. This issue must not become another ugly misstep in Australia’s history. 

Interviewing

Glencore – The CEO is Gary Nagle

Gary Nagle is the CEO of Glencore; Glencore is one if the biggest mining companies in Australia. They sell to over 8,000 different suppliers and Glencore has 25 active mining sites in Australia. Glencore is not only supplying important minerals to Australia, but Glencore also contributes 14 billion dollars to the economy (Glencore Australia, 2022). The questions we would ask Gary Nagle is, “What are the steps that your company is taken to prevent the major issue of chemical pollution?” This is an important question to ask because the answer should show Glencores understanding of the issue and how they are trying to minimise their carbon footprint.            (Our Leadership, 2022)

Australian Environmental minister – Tanya Plibersek

Tanya Plibersek is the Environmental Minister for Australia, so as the Environmental Minister for Australia Tanya Plibersek will need to have an extensive knowledge of the environment and the risks that it faces as well (Foley, 2022). The question I would like answered is “How does the environment protection Act of 1993 correspond with the pollution outcome from mining?” The Environment Protection Act of 1993 includes the protection of land, air and water and mining violates all three of what the act stands for. Mining creates land, air, and water pollution (Environment Protection Legislation, 2022).                                          (Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, 2022)

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Conclusion 

In conclusion, this report has discussed multiple ideas surrounding mining. This extends from the history of mining, what the policies include for closing old abandon mines and the economy’s different perspectives of mining. Mining has a lot of disadvantages such as pollution being one of the biggest. The history of mining is important because it shows how far back mining went and how it played a role in the evolution of Australia, through trading and giving people employment and investment opportunities. The Australian economy has benefitted immensely from the vast amount of income that mining has achived by selling the products or by creating jobs for Australian citizens. The economy has also been affected by the way the workers have been treated at work this is either by being underpaying or mistreating their workers.

Reference list 

Addressing the environmental impacts of Australian Mining's past and future. ATSE. (n.d.). 

This article discusses the problems resulting from Australia's mining industry relating to the environment, social, and economic concerns. They address these issues  and look into a way to look forward and make a change to this problem

Australian Institute of Research that Matters (2022), Undermining our Democracy: Foreign Corporate Influence through the Australian Mining Lobby.

Australian Government, Geoscience Australia (2022), Australia’s identified mineral resources. 

Australian Government, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022), Employment and Unemployment.

Bennett, K 2016, 'Abandoned mines — environmental, social and economic challenges', in AB Fourie & M Tibbett (eds), Mine Closure 2016: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 241-252,

https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1608_16_Bennett

This Journal looks into the international mine closure in 2016. K Bennet discusses the legal and environmental problems that Australia has yet to face because of this problem. He addresses the social and economic problems associated with mine sites and has policy and action ideas for the future.

Environment protection legislation. (2022). EPA. Retrieved August 24, 2022, from https://www.epa.sa.gov.au/page/view_by_id/4296#:~:text=The%20Environment%20Protection%20Act%201993%20provides%20the%20regulatory%20framework%20to,of%20the%20associated%20statutory%20authorities.

This is a useful source because it explains the importance of the Environmental protection legislation.

Feature article - mining and the environment (feature article). Australian Bureau of Statistics. (n.d.). 

Fernandes, N. (2020). Economic effects of coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) on the world economy.

Foley, M. (2022, June 13). Plibersek faces major challenges as environment minister. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved August 24, 2022, from https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/plibersek-faces-major-challenges-as-environment-minister-20220612-p5at41.html

Ghazzawi, I. (2008). Job satisfaction antecedents and consequences: A new conceptual framework and research agenda. The Business Review, 11(2), 1-10.

Glencore Australia. (2022). Glencore. Retrieved August 24, 2022, from

https://www.glencore.com.au/

The Glencore website gave a detailed and informed information about what their mining business is about and the statistics behind it.

Hon Tanya Plibersek MP. (2022). [Photograph]. https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=83M

Mitchell, P. D. (2021, October 7). Top mining and metals risks and opportunities in 2022. EY Australia. 

Moffat, K., Zhang, A., & Boughen, N. (2014). Australian attitudes toward mining. Citizen Survey–2014 Results. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, CSIRO, Australia.

Our leadership. (2022). [Photograph]. https://www.glencore.com/who-we-are/our-leadership

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2019). Feature Article - Mining and the environment (Feature Article). 

Addressing the environmental impacts of Australian mining’s past and future. (n.d.). 

Zhou, V. (2020). Moving forward in a risky environment. Australian Mining. 

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